FA8539-26-R-0001, Letter Request for Proposal (LRFP) – E-3 DRAGON Program
Closed Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- FA8539_26-0042_E-3_Dragon
- Agency
-
Air Force Sustainment Center
Air Force Materiel Command, Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 336413 Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- PSC
- 1560 Airframe Structural Components
- Place of performance
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Sustainment Center is seeking proposals for evaluation, fault isolation, inspection, testing, repair, and packaging of E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Diminishing Manufacturing Sources replacement avionics components under the DRAGON program. The solicitation, issued as a Letter Request for Proposal (LRFP) with the contract number FA8539-26-R-0001, requires contractors to support a three-year repair effort for multiple National Stock Numbers and part numbers with projected annual repair quantities ranging from five to seven units per item. Key contract requirements include managing repair operations for sophisticated avionics systems including flight management computers, multifunction displays, weather radar systems, terrain awareness warning systems, and engine indication crew alerting systems that support the modernized three-person flight deck configuration. The proposal submission deadline is November 30, 2025, providing interested contractors approximately six weeks to prepare and submit their responses to this opportunity.
This solicitation does not utilize any small business set-asides or reserved procurement designations. Collins Aerospace, the original equipment manufacturer and approved source for most DRAGON avionics components, previously held the upgrade and initial maintenance contract (FA8730-20-C-0053) under a sole-source award; however, the government did not receive repair data for these items during the DRAGON upgrade process, opening the door for competition on this repair contract. The anticipated contract will support the E-3 AWACS platform through its retirement in 2033, indicating a potential long-term sustainment relationship beyond the initial three-year repair period. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with repair requirements distributed across ten distinct NSN/part number combinations. The contracting opportunity falls under NAICS 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing) and PSC 1560 (Airframe Structural Components), reflecting the technical nature of the required avionics repair capabilities.
Notice text
support of evaluation, fault isolation, inspection, testing, repair, and packaging of the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation (DRAGON). This will be a 3 year repair effort.
Projected Best Estimated Quantity (BEQ) repair requirements are:
NSN / PN Annual BEQ
5821-01-670-0751 / 822-1757-100/-110 7ea
5841-01-531-3216 / 822-1059-007 5ea
5841-01-576-3318 / 822-0615-305 5ea
5895-01-619-0503 / 822-1468-310 5ea
5985-01-459-8627 / 622-7309-101 5ea
5985-01-512-7697 / 622-5135-801 5ea
5985-01-581-2099 / 622-5137-601 5ea
5862-01-717-5973 / 822-1739-690 5ea
6610-01-717-8587 / 822-2954-002 5ea
5895-01-724-8002 / 822-1591-130 5ea
DRAGON is anticipated to remain on the E-3 through the platform's retirement in 2033.
AFLCMC/HBSK previously awarded ICS contract FA8730-20-C-0053 to upgrade the DRAGON program on the E-3 AWACS from a four-person flight deck to a three-person flight deck by eliminating the navigator position and incorporating a modern Flight Management System Suite (FMSS) with robust architecture. Specifically, it consists of a modern flight management computer and large multifunction displays for flight and engine instruments.
Additionally, DRAGON includes safety features such as a flight guidance system, weather radar system, terrain awareness and warning system, wind shear detection and warning system, new and supplemental upgrades to navigation and surveillance equipment, an engine indication and crew alerting system.
AFLCMC/HBSK ICS contract FA8730-20-C-0053 was for the upgrade and initial maintenance of the DRAGON. It was awarded sole source to Collins Aerospace, the OEM and approved source for almost all DRAGON NSNs, using other than full and open competition, under 10 U.S.C 2304(c)(1), due to the urgency of the requirement and the unacceptable delay that competing it would have.
The Government did not receive repair data for these items during the DRAGON modification. The Government doesn't own the data or rights to the data. Collins Aerospace has become a subsidiary of RTX (Raytheon). Collins Aerospace is the only source with the repair data for these 10 NSNs, and the only source with any repair experience. The Government emailed Collins requesting if they would be willing to provide or sell the repair data to the Government, or if they have any authorized or licensed repair vendors for these NSNs. Collins responded on 1 April 2025 that they are unwilling to provide or sell the data to the Government, they do not have any authorized or licensed repair vendors for these repairs. Collins also indicated that they are interested in submitting a proposal for this requirement when an RFP is posted, and that they'd be agreeable to adding these NSNs to Collins Corporate Contract SPE4AX-21-D-9400.
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